Veterinary Medicine|

Foundation Courses:

Foundation courses are interdisciplinary and represent approximately 70 percent of the professional curriculum. In Foundation courses I, III, and IV (VTMED 5100, VTMED 5300, VTMED 5400), students work in small groups under the guidance of a faculty tutor. Case-based exercises are used to facilitate the understanding of basic science concepts within the context of clinical medicine. In some courses, three two-hour tutorial sessions are scheduled each week. These are complemented by lectures, laboratories, and discussion sessions or other organized learning opportunities specific to the individual course. Faculty members are available to respond to questions that arise as a result of the case-based exercises.

Tutorial sessions and all other organized learning programs are scheduled primarily during the mornings, thereby reserving time in the afternoon for independent study. By learning in a clinical context, students are better able to integrate material from the basic and clinical sciences and are encouraged to develop an understanding of the clinical reasoning process from the beginning of the curriculum. The tutorial-based educational format creates an atmosphere that requires students to be involved actively in their learning and allows them to develop skills in communication, information retrieval, and analysis.

Note: Courses listed in brackets [ ] are approved courses that are not offered during the current academic year.

Distribution Courses:

Distribution courses comprise 30 percent of the curriculum and are usually scheduled during the first half of each spring semester. During the first two years, many of the distribution courses are oriented to the basic sciences. During years three and four, students have additional distribution course offerings from which to choose. Some emphasize clinical specialties, whereas others integrate basic science disciplines with clinical medicine and are co-taught by faculty members representing both areas. Students from different classes have the opportunity to take many of these courses together.